Coupeville girls defeat Orcas

"The defense did it.The Coupeville girls basketball team limited league foe Orcas to just seven points in the second and third quarters and cruised to a 38-25 win Friday afternoon.The win over the Vikings, league champs a year ago, gives the Wolves a five-game win streak and a 4-0 league record.“This game was huge,” Coupeville coach Willie Smith said. In the first half it was defense that set the tone for Coupeville. After scratching out a 9-8 after one quarter, the Wolves clamped down and limited Orcas to just one basket in the second quarter. Coupeville’s Tina Lyness had four steals in the quarter, as she defended the passing lanes and converted her steals into breakaway layups.“Defense is my favorite thing,” she said. “They looked right where they were passing almost every time.” Coupeville forced Orcas into 19 first-half turnovers and 31 for the game.Lyness also helped key things on the offensive end. The senior was the game’s top scorer with 18 points, 12 in the first half.After building a 19-11 lead at the half, Coupeville came out firing in the third quarter by going on a 7-0 run. The Wolves increased their lead to 30-15 heading into the fourth quarter. Orcas went on a 5-0 run of its own to start the fourth quarter, including two baskets by leading Orcas scorer Isla Beckner (10 points for the game), but Coupeville hung on. Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby hit three baskets down the stretch to seal the win.Earlier this week, Coupeville defeated Friday Harbor 56-29. Brianne King led the Wolves with 17 points in that one, Lyness had 10 steals and Jaime Rasmussen and Yashmeen Knox had 9 rebounds apiece.COUPEVILLE 38, ORCAS 25Orcas: Shaffer-Bauck 1, Beckner 10, Kimple 7, Armstrong 3, Speed 2, Kihlstrom 2. Coupeville: Knox 2, Ellsworth-Bagby 10, King 5, Lyness 18, Taylor 1, Rasmussen 2.Orcas 8 3 4 10 — 25Coupeville 9 10 11 8 — 38 COUPEVILLE 56, FRIDAY HARBOR 29Coupeville: King 17, Lyness 9, Bagby 8, Knox 8, Rasmussen 5, Young 4, Taylor 3, Solomon 2. Friday Harbor: Wade 11, Beachem 5, Ausilio 4, Brem 4, Woodward 4, Earley 1. JV score: Coupeville 56, Friday Harbor 17.Coupeville 14 9 21 12 — 56Friday Harbor 5 10 9 5 — 29"

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